Pub operators report sales boost as a result of warm weather

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Hotting up: Wet sales given a boost by warm weather

Licensees and multiple pub operators are feeling positive after the recent good weather boosted trade at their sites throughout last week, and the weekend.

With the Jubilee weekend expected to bring a further boost to Britain’s pubs, operators across the country told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) that the sunshine had paid off for them.

“We have done brilliantly,” said Richard Raven, marketing manager for Grand Union Group, which operates a number of pubs in London. He added: “We were 35% up on a like-for-like basis.

“Brixton was the top performing site because it has an outside area, and it was up 55% on a like-for-like basis with net takings of £60,000. Wandsworth also has an outdoor area and as such had a brilliant weekend too. It has been a bumper two weeks.”

John Ellis, who runs two pubs in Shropshire, the Crown Inn in Oakengates, and the Elephant & Castle in Dawley, said the good weather had held up trade well at both of his sites.

“We had live music on the Friday, and comedy on the Saturday at the Elephant & Castle. That was good for us as without it we would have been quiet.”

He added: “Normally, if you are in a small urban town, weather like this can be awful for you, but it has held up very well.”

Jamie King, of the Anchor Inn, Walton Manor, Oxfordshire, said the weather was “mainly positive” for trade, especially drinks sales.

“It is a double-edged sword,” said King. “It brings in a lot more drinkers and boosts wet sales. But while we were expecting to do 100 (people) for Sunday lunch, we only did 40, whereas in the evening we did 60 when we were expecting 40. It was mainly positive, though, and definitely made the garden look better.”

Steve Haslam, of TLC Inns, told the PMA that his pubs had broken a company record with gross takings of over £150,000 for the week. “It was a fantastic weekend,” said Haslam.